The former presidential candidate’s comments came in response to questions from The Miami Herald about Penelas’ role in the 2002 election and the current Senate race. The comments were published in the Herald’s Sunday editions.

Although a Democrat, Penelas is mayor of a largely Republican county.

Fellow Democrats attacked him for not aggressively supporting Gore during the campaign and especially during the controversial recounts in many counties — including in Miami-Dade — that led to Bush’s victory after narrowly winning Florida.

“One of the other candidates in this race became in 2000 the single most treacherous and dishonest person I dealt with during the campaign anywhere in America,” Gore told the newspaper after praising Penelas’ opponent, U.S. Rep. Peter Deutsch.

Penelas is not mentioned by name in the statement. But a Gore aide confirmed Sunday he was not referring to former state education commissioner Betty Castor, considered the only other viable Democratic candidate.

“Not all who claim to have been supportive and loyal truly were,” Gore said.